Page 14 - Mothmageddon

“What’s Eating You 2?” Mothmageddon
• WHAT FABRICS DO THEY FEED ON?
Moths will feed on any fabrics containing natural, cellulose, or animal fibres, including blends of wool and synthetics and blends of cotton and wool; wool; mohair; silk; cotton; leather; natural bristles; fur; feathers; down; and natural bristle brushes.
They particularly enjoy feeding on fibres made from cashmere, alpaca, camel hair and llama. They can also go for synthetic blends, even with as little as 10% natural fibres.
• WHERE DO THEY LIVE?
Adult clothes moths prefer to live in the dark, relatively undisturbed areas of your house, particularly at the back of your wardrobes and cupboards. The amount of damage they do is in direct proportion to the temperature and humidity in your wardrobe or cupboards. Warm, moist areas provide ideal growing conditions for moths.
(To discover more about the moths devouring your clothes, see Chapter 3: The Moths Eating Your Clothes and Furnishings.)
The Sign That Clothes Moths Are Eating Your Carpets and Rugs
• SMALL HOLES OR THREADBARE AREAS
If your carpets and rugs have holes or frayed areas, there’s a strong likelihood that you have an infestation of carpet moths. You may even see carpet moths scuttling across your carpet and rugs to get away from direct light or the cases they shed during their lifecycle, which look like grains of rice.
• WHAT FABRICS DO THEY FEED ON?
Like clothes moths, carpet moths feed mostly on keratin, a substance that’s found in natural fibres. They will feast on wool, silk, cashmere, viscose, feathers and hides. The higher the wool content the greater their interest!
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